Exclusive: US Contractor's Gaza Reconstruction Plan Sought 300% Profit Guarantee and Seven-Year Monopoly

EXCLUSIVE — A U.S.-based disaster response contractor submitted a detailed proposal to White House advisors that would guarantee the company a 300% return on investment and a seven-year monopoly over critical trucking and logistics operations for Gaza's reconstruction, according to a confidential document reviewed by The Guardian.

The November draft plan from Texas firm Gothams LLC sketches out a "fully integrated humanitarian logistics system" for the Trump-chaired Board of Peace. It stipulates that the Board—designated as the "Customer"—would agree to "a minimum three (3) times return on capital expenditure" and grant Gothams "exclusivity... for seven (7) years." The company would collect fees on every truck entering Gaza and charge for use of its warehousing and distribution network.

While Gothams CEO Matthew Michelsen told The Guardian in December he had halted his proposal, company partner Chris Vanek—a former army officer—has continued coordinating with White House officials in recent weeks on a potential "Gaza Supply System (GSS)," according to sources and records. Michelsen declined to comment for this story.

In a statement provided by a Gothams spokesperson, Vanek said he was asked to assist "based on my extensive experience in conflict zones" and emphasized there is "no existing agreement or contract." The spokesperson added Vanek "has not had any discussions regarding financing, investment, or returns." The company did not address specific questions about the proposed profit margins or exclusivity period.

The scale of potential profits alarmed contracting experts. "There’s never been a U.S. government contract that had triple returns on capital, not in 200 years," said Charles Tiefer, a former member of the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Having spent three years looking at contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan, this looks like highway robbery."

The proposal emerges amid early-stage planning for a reconstruction effort the U.N. estimates could exceed $70 billion, with three-quarters of Gaza's buildings destroyed. The Board of Peace, chaired by Donald Trump and featuring his son-in-law Jared Kushner on its executive board, has promoted Gaza's redevelopment as a future "Riviera of the Middle East." At its Davos unveiling, Kushner described "amazing investment opportunities" and called for private capital to fund new cities, a port, and a manufacturing hub.

Any reconstruction hinges on transporting materials into Gaza, where Israel tightly controls border crossings. A separate investor slide deck from January 2026, also obtained by The Guardian, promises sovereign investors returns between 46% and 175% in the first year alone for the Gaza Supply System.

The White House referred inquiries to the State Department. Spokesperson Eddie Vasquez said no formal procurement process exists yet, adding, "While informal conversations may have taken place, all this remains TBD."

Gothams has previous government contracts, including work at a controversial migrant detention camp in South Florida nicknamed "Alligator Alcatraz."

Reaction & Analysis

Sarah Chen, Policy Analyst at the Center for Humanitarian Accountability: "This draft reveals a worrying precedent—prioritizing investor returns over cost-effective aid delivery. Guaranteeing such margins in a humanitarian context distorts the mission and risks diverting scarce resources."

Mark Reynolds, Former USAID Procurement Officer: "While private sector efficiency is needed, exclusivity and guaranteed profits of this magnitude remove competitive pressure and oversight. Lessons from Iraq show this can lead to waste and abuse."

David Feld, Security Consultant (Iraq/Afghanistan veteran): "This is grotesque. We're talking about rebuilding a shattered society, not a venture capital pitch. Profiteering from rubble while people lack shelter is morally bankrupt. It's the same predatory playbook we saw post-2003."

Priya Sharma, Emerging Markets Investor: "High risk demands high potential return, and Gaza certainly carries risk. If structured transparently, private capital can accelerate rebuilding where public funds fall short. The key is balancing profit with public benefit."